10 Places to Visit Outside of Central London


 

There are many great places to visit in London,  not just in Central London but all around the city. Here are some of the best places to visit outside of Central London.

1. Spitalfields Market

Spitalfields Market, overhead view: Wikimedia Commons

Located in the heart of Spitalfields, Old Spitalfields Markets is one of the best and most historic markets in East London. The market is full of history, as there is a record of a market operating on the site since the 1600s. It was built in 1879 and is one of the best surviving Victorian market halls in London.

Today the market is open 7 days a week and offers a wide variety of culture as well as a large range of handmade goods, alongside fashion, arts and design stores. With 53 stalls and shops in the market it is an ideal place to look for a gift or to just browse. With 41 food stalls and restaurants, it is also a great place to visit if you’re hungry.

Brushfield Street, Spitalfields
London
E1 6EW
The nearest station is Liverpool Street (Central, Hammersmith & City, Circle, Metropolitan) and  Shoreditch High Street (Overground)
The Market is open 9-5 Monday to Friday, 11-5 Saturday and 8-5 Sundays.

2. Kew Gardens

For lovers of plants Kew Gardens is a must visit with such a huge array of different plants and flowers on offer. It is home to the most diverse collection of plant life in the world, with over 60,000 plants. At 130 hectares it is London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There are so many different places to see and explore in Kew Gardens. You can visit some of the beautiful gardens and landscapes including the Bamboo garden, Japanese gateway and Azalea garden, which are all part of a circular route that can be completed in about an hour’s walk.

You can also discover the many iconic greenhouses, including the Palm House, Waterlilly House and Temperate House, which all house tropical and exotic species of plants. Visitors also love the 18 metre  treetop walkway, which gives fantastic birds eye views of the gardens.

The Palm House, Kew Gardens: Wikimedia Commons

Kew, Richmond
London
TW9 3AB
Nearest Station: Kew Gardens (District Line and Overground)
Opening times: Open from 10am every day except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Closing times vary according to season.
Tickets cost £4.50 for children and £13.50 for adults.

3. Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is open 24 hours a day, except for Kenwood House, which closes at sunset. Entry is free to all parts of the Heath.
Nearest Station: Hampstead Heath and Gospel Oak (London Overground)

Possibly the best open space in the whole of London, Hampstead Heath (which you can read in detail here) is a fantastic place to visit. It feels more like a forest than a park due to its wonderfully untamed open space. The heath stretches 791 acres, which includes everything from woodlands, swimming ponds, playing fields and meadows. Parliament Hill also offers one of the most spectacular views of London. It is amazing to think it is only a few miles from the centre of London but feels like a world apart.

4. William Morris Gallery

William Morris Gallery: Wikimedia Commons

Situated in Walthamstow, North-east London, the William Morris Gallery is a charming museum/gallery inside William Morris’s former family home, where he lived from 1848 to 1956 with his mother and 8 siblings.

It is a grade II listed Georgian house, built in the 18th Century.  The Gallery exhibits works inspired by the work, life and influence of the man and is the only museum dedicated to Morris.

William Morris (1834 – 1896) was an artist, designer, craftsman and writer. He was the most influential British designer of the nineteenth century. Morris was also a conservationist and social campaigner. In total there are 9 individual galleries, which extensively showcase all of Morris’s printed and woven textiles, ceramic glass, embroideries, furniture, wallpaper and books, as well other members from the Arts and Craft Movement.

There are also many personal items including his satchel and coffee cup. The backdrop of the museum is beautiful, being located in a lovely little park.

After a £5 million upgrade in 2012, the house was fully refurbished, seeing new displays added, as well as a learning centre added to the first floor. A new extension was also built on the site of the old east wing, which included a special exhibition gallery and a tea room. The museum won the award of Museum of the Year in 2013, for its major renovation and creative reinterpretation of Morris’s work.

Lloyd Park, Forest Road, Walthamstow, London, Greater London, E17 4PP
Nearest Station: Walthamstow Central 10-15 minute walk (Victoria Line and Overground)
Opening Times: Tuesday – Sunday 10am to 5pm
Entry is Free

5. Camden Passage

Camden Passage: Wikimedia Commons

Camden Passage is a picturesque pedestrianised cobbled back street in Islington, North London.  Since the 1950s, along with Portobello Market, Spitalfields and Kensington Church Street,  it has ranked as one of London’s best antique markets, with a total of 200 dealers.

In  Camden Passage you will be sure to find everything from handmade chocolate, Japanese art prints and jewellery. The antiques shops however, are the real hidden gems, with many being specialists. Among these include a toy and doll dealer and a clock specialist.

Today the market has become more diversified, catering to a new audience with many new boutiques, restaurants, cafes and market stalls and is an interesting place to explore.

Camden Passage
Islington
London
N1 8EA
Nearest Station: Angel (Northern Line)
Main market trading day are Wednesdays and Saturdays.

6. RAF Museum

The RAF museum is the only museum dedicated to the Royal Air Force. Here you can learn all about the history and fascinating story of the RAF, which recently celebrated its 100th birthday, in 2018. You will be able to explore the vast array of planes and aircraft available, with over 100 on display,  with everything from early biplanes to modern planes on offer.

You can also learn all about London’s wartime history including the Blitz and Battle of Britain, where you can discover many important artifacts include a crumpled old engine, from a Hurricane fighter plane that was sued to save Buckingham Palace.

Among the other attractions is a 4-D theatre, one of the museum’s newest attractions. Here combined with state of the art 3-D computer animation, added with the dynamic seating and special effects you will be transported into the action as a pilot of a B-17 Bomber.

The museum is also a great place for kids with many hands on exhibits that  are fun and informative, including a plane simulator.

Grahame Park Way, Colindale, Barnet
London
NW9 5LL
Nearest Station: Colindale (Northern Line) is a 13 minute walk
Entry is free.
Open times:  November to February 10am to 5pm – last admission 4.30pm. March to October: 10am to 6pm – last admission 5.30pm. Museum is closed 24th to 26th December and New Years Day.

7. Columbia Road Market

Flowers for sale at Columbia Road Flower Market: Wikimedia Commons

Columbia Road Market is another plant and flower lover’s heaven. It is London’s principal flower market, devoted to selling flowers, plants, bulbs and garden equipment at very reasonable prices. With such a huge variety of flowers on offer, it is one of London’s most visually appealing markets.

Even if you have no plans to buy anything it is still a fascinating place to explore, with the street lined with many interesting independent shops, including small art galleries, antique and garden shops.

The market is very popular, both with tourists and locals, and can get extremely  during market days, especially  around midday. If you come when the market opens in the morning it can be less busy. It is also worth noting that if you come when the market is nearly closing, many traders greatly reduce the prices of their flowers as they need to get rid of them that day.

Columbia Road
London
E2 7RG
The market is open every Sunday of the year from 8am to 3pm.
Nearest station: Hoxton or Shoreditch High Street (both Overground)

8. Hampton Court Palace

 

Hampton Court Palace: Wikimedia Commons

Explore the residence of Henry VIII and his wives with a visit to Hampton Court Palace. Learn and discover the many rooms where Henry III changed history.

The palace was originally built by Cardinal Wolsely, the chief minister during the early part of Henry VIII’s reign. After falling out with him for failing to get his marriage Catherine of Aragon annulled, Henry VIII took the palace for himself.  It has been a royal palace ever since.

Some of the highlights include Henry VIII’s kitchens, which were the largest kitchen in Tudor England, where over 200 cooks worked to produce over 800 meals a day. You can also discover the Great Hall, which sits at the very heart of the Palace, it was designed to show Henry VIII’s power.

The infamous Haunted Gallery is another fascinating place to visit. In 1541,  Catherine Howard discovered that she was to be charged with adultery. The legend has it that the terrified queen ran along what is now called the Haunted Gallery in the hope of finding Henry VIII in order to plead for innocence. Just before she reached the door however, she was captured by the guards and later executed in the Tower of London. Catherine’s ghost has been rumored to be seen running through the Haunted Gallery, screaming for mercy.

Be sure to check out the Hampton Court Maze, which is the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze. It was commissioned around 1700 by WIlliam III and covers around a third of an acre. Make sure you don’t get lost. It is known for confusing its visitors with its many dead ends and twists and turns.

Hampton Court is also known for its vast and beautiful garden at over 60 acres, which includes a lovely rose garden. The colours and lovely scents are enhanced by the spectacular backdrop of the palace and somewhere that I’m sure you will enjoy visiting.

East Molesey
Surrey
KT8 9AU
Nearest station: Hampton Court
Adult tickets cost £21.30
Child tickets cost £10.70
Open Monday to Sunday 10:00-16:30. Last admission 15:30

9.Wimbledon

 

Wimbledon, Centre Court: Wikimedia Commons

If you are a fan tennis there is no better place to visit than Wimbledon, one of the most famous tennis venues in the world and one of the four grand slam tournaments (along with US Open, French Open and Australian Open). Every summer it is home to the oldest running tennis tournament in the world. Games are still played on the original playing surface. The tournament attracts around half a million spectators every year including plenty of celebrities and the Royal family.

You can book tickets by entering the Wimbledon public ballot. The ballot is always oversubscribed however, so entry does not guarantee you to a ticket. Successful applicants are chosen at random by a computer. It is not possible to request specific tickets for days or courts.

Spectators can also purchase premium purchase tickets on the day of a match, although these usually require very queuing.  Several thousand ground admission tickets are also available each day, giving you the opportunity to watch games from unreserved seating areas on courts 3 to 18.

The museum is also worth a visit. Here you will learn the history and traditions of Wimbledon, as well a getting a chance to get up close with championships trophies from years gone by. There is also a guided tour giving unique behind the scenes access to Wimbledon including Centre Court, the media centre and the Player’s entrance.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Church Road,  Wimbledon, London, SW19 5AE
Nearest Station: Southfields (District Line)

10. London Zoo

Lioness, London Zoo: Wikimedia Commons

With over 750 species of animals at London Zoo, it is one of the largest collections in the UK. Be sure to be amazed by the vast number of creatures, where you can  learn and discover many fascinating facts. There are many places worth exploring, you can come face to face with the lions or meet the monkeys, or there’s the iconic gorilla kingdom and penguin beaches. If you’re feeling really brave you can even try Europe’s only walkthrough spider experience.

Opened in 1828, London Zoo is the world’s oldest scientific zoo. Originally it was only intended for scientific study but was later opened to the public in 1847. Today the zoo helps with conservation work in more than 50 countries.

London Zoo, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY
Nearest station: Camden town (Northern Line)
Tickets vary depending on the time. The cheapest tickets for adults is £22.90 and £14.90 for children.
Open from 10:00 daily. Closed Christmas Day.

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